HarleyTechTalk

I have a potential opportunity to obtain (dirt cheap) stainless socket head replacements for the crappy zinc plated stock engine bolts on my 2001 FLHR -- is there a chart available showing what sizes & specs are needed without me having to extract and measure each one? Naturally I'm mostly concerning myself with the "show" bolts that are normally replaced with expensive chrome bolts ...

Yes, there is, in your HD Parts Manual.
First you go through the diagrams of the section of bike you are interested in, identify the bolts and their part#'s. Then with those part #'s, go to the section of the manual for fasteners and it will specify the bolt/nut, screw etc you need ...
head type, dia, length, strength and so forth including any special features. This isn't as complicated or time consuming  as it sounds.
Like you, I've started replacing the crappy fasteners.

If you want to see crappy fasteners, go look at an old Honda some time and see where about half of the galvanized bolts have completely rusted.  Stock Harley bolts are far from crappy; they are excellent quality.  The only fasteners from Harley I have been disappointed with are the few cases where I have replaced a stock fastener with one of their chrome plated versions, and invariably the inside of the Allen or Torx part will rust in no time.

Rumor has it stainless steel bolts have a real problem with galvanic action when used in aluminum because of the different metals, and can cause bolts to be next to impossible to remove later on.  I am not trying to be discouraging, just wanted to pass on what I have heard.

Last time I used a stainless bolt with aluminum, I had to remove the bolt about 2 years later and I brought the aluminum threads with it. I even used antiseize on the bolt. So I'll never use SS with aluminum again.
Kik

Also, be very careful about the grade of stainless steel you buy.  Some stainless steel does not have the same shear and tensile strength ratings as grade 5 and grade 8 steel.  They can deform and fail.  Bad news in some places.

several years ago I purchased the complete set for my eng and trans in chrome from a vendor off e bay, they were supplied labeled for placement and shrink wrapped on a card, if you could locate a set like that and measure  sizes and lengths it would make it easy........maybe there is a supplier that lists all the sizes on the bay,it would only take a few minutes to snoop around......If I remember right the cost was about $100 for the chrome set.....

 Stainless steel and aluminum does not make a happy marriage. You will be sorry. If you want fancy bolts go chrome or use lots of anti seize with the stainless and hope they don't come loose.

remember,SS bolts are equil to a grade 2 bolt

Grade 2 maybe. They are not tested or rated.

Bought mine from Alloyboltz.com and have never had a problem taking anything apart. Yes, use antisieze.

Rick

Dirt cheap stainless fasteners from China, you get what you pay for (garbage). 

Colony and Diamond are two companies that make quality fasteners, not cheap.

http://www.alloyboltz.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=13&osCsid=2c023803b5d265354beb734014aed323

http://www.depss.com/

These outfits both have good grade stainless bolts available in kits.  You only get what you pay for in stainless steel. They are available in high tensile etc been using them in chemical plants for 35 years I have been in a trade. Biggest thing is you have to spec them out . Always use a thread lubricant that is compatible with the 2 dissimilar metals not all anti-siezes are good for such service. Myself I have been using blue loctite since some time in the early 1970's and torquing to the lower spec never had a problem,of course always watching the temp of the application. If its to hot for loctite then i use anti-sieze. Good bolts come from a industrial bolt supplier not wally world or the other cheap is beautiful stores.....Bob

thanks for all the responses --- regarding the concerns raised about ss quality -- I used the term "dirt cheap" as a euphemism for "fringe benefit" as it appears that my work has stocked enough of these to outfit every HD ever made to date and into the next century --- and they are US made, stamped grade 8.  The comment I made about the crappy HD fasteners was only meant in regard to the plainness of them really, I don't have any basis to speak against their effectiveness in holding parts together as they are meant to.  You must admit, the zinc plated socket head bolts stand out like a mutilated sardine against the lustrous chrome covers they are mated to.  In removing a few of the bolts already (the stock HD bolts) I had some difficulty in removing them.  They had a slight residue of something white on the threads, so I'm not sure if this is galling, or some thread treatment that was applied when initially assembled.  I may well go with the chrome fasteners ultimately, but meanwhile, it sounds like never-seize is the way to go for the engine bolts.

Quote from: unionhero on April 22, 2010, 05:47:52 PM
....  In removing a few of the bolts already (the stock HD bolts) I had some difficulty in removing them.  They had a slight residue of something white on the threads, so I'm not sure if this is galling, or some thread treatment that was applied when initially assembled.  I may well go with the chrome fasteners ultimately, but meanwhile, it sounds like never-seize is the way to go for the engine bolts.

Some of the oem bolts do in fact have a 'patch' which is shown in the parts list specifications. I think this is specified for some bolts that logically might need to be removed in future but needed some form of light duty thread sealer.